Japan- day one Hokkaido- a museum about ancients, 5.2kms of volcano climbing! And a Hot spring ocean spar.mmmm

A very early start at 4.45am to get to the ferry from Oma to Hakodate - Honshu to Hokkaido.

The old market buildings in Hakodate built 1854 when Japan first opened up the Western trade.

The museum of the Ancients .

The Aleut lived here and north in to Russia and across to Alaska.

This is one of the only 3 seater skin boats in the world.

Dugout canoes or ‘Ciop’,  ‘ci = us and ‘op’ = rider

Fish market- live King Crabs, Salmon, and all thing’s interesting.

Like Sea Urchins.

Yes I had to try.

Let’s say one small taste and don’t need to try again

Something a bit more common- scallop and prawn.

We are so spoiled in OZ.

Rock melons Y10000

= A$ 100 each- ouch

Yes green grapes

A$40 a packet = ouch x 2

Hakodate city view from Mt Hakodate

The active volcano Mt E San

Smoking and sulphur gases in the air.

It’s only 2.6kms to the top .

Up

Up

and Up.

1640m to go

All along the way.

The steps are old and broken

And Up….

Only 100m to go..

From the pinnacle looking down the coast

Now 2.6kms back down…..

Our camp is next to this ocean spar.

Today’s steps 19,500 so need this.

The hot steaming waters from the above volcano here meets the Pacific Ocean

That warms away the body pains.

Here is where we camped and you can track the volcano near by:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=41.81153,141.18292&ll=41.81153,141.18292&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1